Buy Greener Electronics

Are there green electronics?

Or at least greener electronics. Right now, we don’t really have what we’d call “green” electronics – they are still made with too many natural resources and toxic chemicals. They are manufactured in poverty wage countries, often under troubling worker conditions. And they are not nearly recyclable or upgradeable enough to be considered “green” yet.

But we, as purchasers of electronics, need to use our purchasing power to support companies or products that are moving in the right direction. And we need to pressure them ALL to do better.

Those who labor in the global high-tech factories or third world recycling operations experience poor working conditions, little labor protections and virtually no health and safety protection.

How to find greener electronics at home, work, school

We don’t quite have “one stop shopping” for finding green electronics, but there are some resources we can use. The Center for Environmental Health (CEH) – one of the partner groups in this coalition – has put together a great Green Purchasing Website that shows you what you can do to find green electronics at home, at work and at school. Visit their website for tips on extending your product’s lifespan, resources for identifying environmentally preferable products and other helpful tools. Businesses and Universities can show their commitment to greening their organizations by taking CEH’s “Sustainable Electronics Pledge”.